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DHAMMA

The DHAMMA is the Teaching of Deliverance in its entirety, as discovered, realized and proclaimed by the Buddha. It has been handed down in the ancient Pali language, and preserved in three great collections of books called Ti-Pitaka, the "Three Baskets", namely: (I) the Vinaya-pitaka, or Collection of Discipline, containing the rules of the monastic order; (II) the Sutta-pitaka, or Collection of the Discourses, consisting of various books of discourses, verses, stories, etc. and dealings with the doctrine proper as summarized in the Four Noble Truths; (III) the Abhidhamma-pitaka, or Philosophical Collection; presenting the teachings of the Sutta-Pitaka in strictly systematic and philosophical form.

The Dhamma is not a doctrine of revelation, but the teaching of Enlightenment based on the clear comprehension of actuality. It is the teaching of the Fourfold Truth dealing with the fundamental facts of life and with liberation attainable through man's own effort towards purification and insight. The Dhamma offers a lofty, but realistic system of ethics, a penetrative analysis of life, a profound philosophy, practical methods of mind training - in brief, an all-comprehensive and perfect guidance on the Path to Deliverance. By answering the claims of both heart and reason, and by pointing out the liberating Middle Path that leads beyond all futile and destructive extremes in thought and conduct, the Dhamma has, and will always have, a timeless and universal appeal wherever there are hearts and minds mature enough to appreciate its message.

(from 'The Word of the Buddha' by Nyanatiloka)